Smashing the Money Ring

Although most of the people associated with this third entry in the Brass Bancroft series are generally unknown today, they had a lot of talent and deserve recognition.

The female lead, for example, Margot Stevenson, is the cutest of all, with the most personality, at least of the first three, and she spent more than three decades on Broadway, as well as keeping sort of busy in TV and movies. She should be better known.

The script is rather involved, moving from the offices of the Secret Service to California, including an off-shore gambling ship and a prison.

The premise, what the bad guys are doing that brings Bancroft onto their trail, is not only clever but entirely plausible.

The boss bad guy, whom I identified fairly early, but unhappily -- he is a likable character and I hated it that he was actually pretty nasty -- is also a good actor, but I won't say who it is.

Actually, the entire cast is good, and combined with a good script and good direction from someone of whom I know nothing, they make "Smashing the Money Ring" into a thoroughly watchable film.

Reagan got better and better and I think it was the next one in this series that showed the producers he was ready for the big time.